This is How You Select CNC Tools

When working with heavy equipment, especially cutting machines, you have to choose the right CNC equipment. The question, however, is how. That’s why the common questions and considerations have been rounded up to provide you clear insights on the tools to select.

Prior to buying the CNC tools, you have to determine whether your machine is made of the polymer composite, cast iron, or aluminium. Cast iron is indeed heavy but it can be used for a longer time. In contrast, polymer composites and aluminium are light. The next thing to consider is the standards followed by the machine. Does it follow ISO codes?

Spindle Speed

Check the speed of the spindle. If you work a lot with wood, plastic, and non-ferrous metals, then a high-speed spindle is what you need. You also have to know whether you’ll use servos or steppers. With steppers, you can execute commands, but results are often less accurate than servos. The servo system requires that an independent device is there to measure the position of the motor drive.

When selecting CNC tools, you also have to determine how big the work envelope is, that is, the area that the milling machine can cut.

CNC Bits

The bits used for cutting machines have various shapes. Choose the one that suits your project. There are square-ended bits, while there are those that push down and pull up cutting edge. Look at the contours; a V bit works with detailed letterings or signs. These V bits are sometimes called V-groove bits and come in 30, 60, and 90-degree angles.

Remember to use the strongest bit that you can buy on the market. Long bits can cause the bits to bend, whereas short bits give cleaner results. Now if you are making a piece of furniture, you need a bit that leaves a smoother finish, so choose the one that has finer cutting edges.

You may also choose the bit direction needed for your project. There are compression, upcut, and downcut. Compression combines the features of a downcut and an upcut. Upcut bits move materials away from the worktable, while downcut bits press down the chips against the table. In this context, choosing depends on how much you want the work done and how much you want to protect your workspace (i.e. your table).